UPDATE: Chris and Bobby will be running in the New York Marathon Sunday, Nov. 7th, 2021!
Chris & Bobby completed the REVEL Wasatch Limited Marathon in 3 hours and 7 minutes. They qualified for Boston and Chicago!
Why participate in a marathon?
ALS Awareness
ALS is still a very unknown disease that many people are faced with. Many people have heard the term or reference to causes related to the disease. Chris has made it his mission to spread awareness and pass on information about his experience in a positive manner.
I’m a Competitive Athlete
Chris grew up playing sports and that competitive spirit still lives within Chris. He has lost the ability to physically perform, but his drive still exists. He wants to show that this disease is one to live with, but it doesn’t define you.
Our Goal
Be a positive influence in the ALS community.
Prove that this disease does not define the individual.
Raise funds for ALS and personal support.
Set new marathon records!
But I Can’t do it alone…
Bobby Imamura is a friend of Chris who was overwhelmed with emotion after one of his runs, shortly after learning of Chris’ diagnosis. He knew right then that being able to push Chris in a marathon would be the ultimate accomplishment. The 45 year old high school math teacher began running marathons at 41 years old essentially because of a challenge from his wife. Now 50 lbs lighter, Bobby has run in multiple marathons including Chicago and New York. Posting a time of 3:16 for New York in 2019. He was going to run in the Berlin marathon but it was unfortunately canceled.
After Bobby posed the idea of pushing Chris in a marathon, the athlete in Chris was revitalized! While ALS is relentlessly taking away all of Chris’ physical capabilities, the simple idea of being able to still train and compete gave him a purpose to keep fighting to live.
“Try to have more faith and less fear, try to express it to your peers, I’m talking about dreams. Better to do it and let it be seen, cause then it’s so clear.”
— Nipsey Hussle